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Explanations: No. 14681 – Friday, 20 January 2012

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How did you fare with this crossword?

Across
1 Tell tales about a grand fruit (4)
LI(M)E
Tell tales (LI-E) about “a grand” (M) = LIME: fruit. 4 It’s Dell, if one got rid of the hole? (10) BACK-FILLED
It’s “Dell if”, which is BACK the other way for the word FILLED = BACKFILLED: one got rid of the hole? 9 To repudiate is in, not up (6) D(IS)OWN
In “not up” (D-OWN) is (IS) = DISOWN: to repudiate. 10 With it you see one positive response in eight (8) E(YES)IGHT
In “eight” (E-IGHT) one positive response (YES) = EYESIGHT: with it you see. 11 Naive sounding Y? Y indeed! (4-4) DE(WY-E-Y)ED
In-deed (DE-ED) sounding “Y” “Y” (WYE-Y) = DEWY-EYED: naive. 12 Quietly suggest it’s broken out, in a way (6) P-IMPLY
Quietly (P) suggest (IMPLY) it’s = PIMPLY: broken out, in a way. 13 Did a number in Los Angeles (4) SANG
In “lo-S ANG-eles” = SANG: did a number. 15 One frequently flying first class with others jumping ship (3,7) AI-R HOSTE-SS
First class (AI) with “others” jumping (R HOSTE) ship (SS) = AIR HOSTESS: one frequently flying. 17 Who’s there at 10:00 at Charleston, say? (10) AT-TEN-DANCE
At 10:00 (AT TEN) at “Charleston”, say (DANCE) = ATTENDANCE: who’s there. 19 Without nine in, fixate a lot (4) Without nine (IX) in “fixate” (F-ix-ATE) = FATE: a lot. 20 Fly out of Africa to find a set damaged and another broken (6) TSE-TSE
A “set” damaged (TSE) and another “set” broken (TSE) to find = TSETSE: fly out of Africa. 22 Small cars really test the clergy (8) MINIS-TRY
Small cars (MINIS) really test (TRY) = MINISTRY: the clergy. 25 He makes a hit with a couple of eejits at home (8) ASS-ASS-IN
With “a couple of eejits” (ASS ASS) at home (IN) = ASSASSIN: he makes a hit. 26 Territory for a party chief (6) DO-MAIN
A party (DO) chief (MAIN) for = DOMAIN: territory. 27 Get the Champagne there after a victory, and race back around the Spanish pound (4,6) WIN-E C(EL-L)AR
After “a victory” (WIN) and “‘race’ back” around “’the’ Spanish ‘pound’” [EC(EL-L)AR] = WINE CELLAR: get the Champagne there. 28 Is for many, a region (4) ARE-A
“Is” for many (ARE) a (A) = AREA: region.

Down
2 With it in, letters aren’t wandering (9)
IT-IN-ERANT
With “it in” (IT IN) letters “aren’t” (ERANT) = ITINERANT: wandering. 3 Be coming back on the 4th of July for the key material (5) EB-ON-Y
“Be” coming back (EB) on (ON) the 4th of “jul-y” (Y) for = EBONY: the (piano) key material. 4 Perhaps by-pass back and forth? (5) B-AND-Y
Perhaps “by”? (B AND Y) = BANDY: pass back and forth. 5 Add back in what’s dear in French cheese (7) CHE(DDA)R
In “what’s ‘dear’ in French” (CHE-R) “add” back (DDA) = CHEDDAR: cheese. 6 Hep ref playing with one priceless ring? (9) FREEPH-ONE
“Hep ref” playing (FREEPH) with “one” (ONE) = FREEPHONE: priceless ring? 7 The French have it back, Tom, if it’s a musical theme (9) LE-IT-MOT-IF
“The” French (LE) have “it” (IT) back “Tom” (MOT) if (IF) it’s = LEITMOTIF: a musical theme. 8 Kind of alcohol they fancy at fifty (5) ETHY-L
“They” fancy (ETHY) at “fifty” (L) = ETHYL: kind of alcohol. 14 One who barks out “Hamlet” perhaps (5,4) GREAT DANE
One who barks out (GREAT DANE) Hamlet perhaps (GREAT DANE). 15 Dreads turning to see a letter opener (9) ADDRES-SEE
“Dreads” turning (ADDRES) to “see” (SEE) = ADDRESSEE: a letter opener. 16 Turn to one insane and gloomy (9) SA(TURN-I)NE
In-sane (SA-NE) “turn” to “one” (TURN-I) and = SATURNINE: gloomy. 18 Token number 1000, in a pound (7) NO-M-IN-A-L
Number (NO) 1000 (M) in a (IN A) pound (L) = NOMINAL: token. 21 Take us back to the quiet one for some rolls for dinner maybe? (5) SU-SH-I
Take “us” back (SU) to the “quiet” (SH) one (I) for = SUSHI: some rolls for dinner maybe? 23 The detective inspector ran back around the low point (5) NA(DI)R
“Ran” back (NA-R) around “the detective inspector” (DI) = NADIR: the low point. 24 Dance around mothers, to a degree (5) SAM-BA
Mothers, ‘mas’, around (SAM) to “a degree” (BA) = SAMBA: dance.